The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in a house. We make breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in the kitchen. We microwave food, cook food in the oven, store food in the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry, wash dishes throughout the day, and a variety of other tasks.
This is the time of year when families spend time together in the kitchen baking holiday goodies and spending time with family and friends. If you have family and friends visiting over the holidays, you’ll want to make sure you clean your kitchen from top to bottom! The kitchen is one of the easiest places to mess up due to how much time we do spend in there. Because of the activity level in and out of the kitchen, deep cleaning can become overwhelming if it’s not maintained over time. To prepare your house for guests, follow these simple tips to get your kitchen looking it’s very best during your guest’s stay.
1. Declutter.
This is the very first step you’ll want to do before you complete any deep cleaning in your kitchen. Counter tops in the kitchen seem to collect the most clutter, from school work, papers to sign, purses, keys, sunglasses, you name it. The clutter collects fast on kitchen counters. Remove all clutter from counter tops. If you have extra time, declutter the junk drawer and inside the cabinets.
2. Clean out the microwave.
You’ll want to focus on cleaning from top to bottom. The microwave can hold a lot of crumbs and other food particles that can fall onto counter tops or the floor.
3. Deep clean the oven.
If you have a self cleaning oven, find some time to set the oven for a deep clean. If not, you’ll need to spend some time cleaning the inside the of the oven and removing any grease spills or other food particles that have fallen into the base of the oven.
4. Clean out the refrigerator and freezer.
The refrigerator and freezer can get out of control fast. We store leftovers in there that sometimes get pushed to the back and can sit there for weeks or even months! There’s also fresh produce that can sit for a long period before being tossed. Check your refrigerator and freezer for any expired products and toss them. Then, you’ll want to wipe down the surfaces in the refrigerator.
5. Wipe down the sinks and freshen the garbage disposal.
There’s something about a clean sink that makes the kitchen seem a lot cleaner. When my sink is empty and clean, I’m just happier. Wash all dishes that are located in the sink and around or on counter tops. Then, deep clean the sinks and garbage disposal. I like to cut up a lemon into small pieces and run it through the disposal to give it a fresh and clean smell!
6. Deep clean the stove top.
The range top can be a tricky place to clean. If you have a gas range top, food and grease can fall around the burners creating a pretty tricky mess to clean. I remove the grates before I clean our stove top and try to remove as much grease and crumbs as I can. If you have an electric stove top, make sure the stove is completely cool before cleaning. Then, you’ll want to make sure you use a gentle cleaning solution that won’t scratch or damage the surface.
7. Sweep and mop.
After all of the deep cleaning has been completed in the kitchen, the last thing you’ll want to do is sweep and mop. Sweep under the cabinets as well as around the refrigerator to remove crumbs, pet hair, and other items on the floor.
Once you are finished with all of the steps above, your kitchen will be clean and ready for your guests visit! Don’t forget to head to your local Target to pick up the Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes with Micro-Scrubbers to help you clean your kitchen this holiday season. Save 10% on this product by using the Target Cartwheel app!
What are your favorite cleaning tips for the kitchen?